Party-line selective system.



No. 784,588. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. P. P. OGONOR & P. MONEILL.

PARTY LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 13.1904.

3 SHEBTSSHEBT l- No. 784,588. PATENTBD MAR. 14, 1905. P. P. OGONOR &'P.'MQNEILL.

PARTY LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 13.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET z.

No. 784,588. I PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

F. P. OCONOR & P. MONEILL. PARTY LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

APPLIUATIOH FILED FEB. 13.1904.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

NITED STATES Patented. March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

PARTY-LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,588, dated March14, 1905.

Application filed February 13, 1904- Serial No. 193,454.

To all whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that we, FRANK P. OCONOR and FREDERIC MONEILL, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Lasalle, in the county of Lasalle andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inParty- Line Selective Systems, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to telephone systems, and particularly to thatclass known as partyline systems wherein a plurality of substations areincluded in the same circuit.

The object of the invention is to provide new and improved means wherebyany subscriber may be called or signaled from the central station to theexclusion of the other subscribers on the same circuit or line and alsowhereby any subscriber may communicate with any other subscriber on thesame line or on any other line to the exclusion of all other subscriberson the party-line. The desired result is attained through the medium ofa selective instrument or apparatus located at each substation andprovided with suitable contacts arranged progressively at successivesubscribers stations and adapted to close the signaling-circuit at anysubstation by a predetermined number of impulses sent over the line fromthe central station. The arrangement is such that when any substation isselected and connected with the line for signaling the talking-circuitat such station is also established, so that in order to carry on aconversation it is only necessary for the called subscriber to removehis receiver from the hook in the usual manner to communicate with thecalling subscriber, all other subscribers on the line being cut off fromcommunication with the line.

The invention has for a further object to provide a device under thecontrol of the operator at the central station for actuating theselective instruments at the substations, so that the signalingapparatus at any station may be readily placed in circuit with thecentral station for signaling.

The invention will be understood by reference to the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the selective instrument andconnections of one substation and also shows the device located at thecentral station for sending impulses over the line to actuate theselective instrument. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the selectiveinstrument located at each substation. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the selective instrument. Fig.5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic viewof the system, showing three substations and illustrating particularlythe manner of arranging the disk conductors atsuccessive stations. Fig.7 shows the impulse device on a larger scale; and Fig. 8 is a detail, onan enlarged scale, of one of the rotating disks with its associatedconductors and contacts.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, Z and Z indicate the line-wires of thecircuit, Which terminate at a jack p, of the usual construction, locatedat the switchboard a at the central station. Connected across theline-wires! and Z are the substations No. 1, No. 2., and No. 3, it beingunderstood that while three of such substations are shown the number maybe increased as desired. cach station, comprising the wires (1,connected with the line l, and wires (0 a, connected with the line 1,are the usual receiver 1', transmitter z, and ringer v", bridged acrossthe wires a and a. The lines a and o are provided with anvils a a,normally out of contact with the hook-switch it when the receiver ishung up, but which are adapted to close the circuit through thetransmitter and-receiver when the hook is released upon the removal ofthe receiver. A connection is normally made between the wires (0 and aso that, as will be seen by reference to Fig. l, a subscriber may callup the central station in the usual manner by simply removing hisreceiver if the system is a central-energy system or by operating hismagneto-generator if the latter is employed, the central station beingprovided with any suitable apparatus for indicating to the operator thatthe subscriber is calling. Except for the means for establishingconnection between the wires a w and hereinafter more fully cxplalned,in order to Included in the circuit at make and break at will thecircuit between the ringer and the lines Z and Z the connectionsheretofore described may be of the usual and ordinary character and neednot be described with greater particularity. Locatedat each substationis an apparatus or instrument, substantially as shown inFigs. 2, 3, 4,and 5, which is provided with means controlled from the central stationwhereby any substation may be selected and its ringer operated to theexclusion of all other substations on the line. Such means comprisegenerally a moving conductor located at each substation and adapted tobe moved so as to complete the circuit between the wires a" (Z2 when apredetermined number of impulses is sent over the line by the operatorat the central station, and as the conductor at each station is moved toits operativeposition by an individual number of impulses the ringer atany station may be selected and rendered operative to the exclusion ofall other stations.

The selective apparatus A, located at each substation, as shown in Fig.6, comprises a suitable frame or casing mounted in any suit:

able manner at the station, consisting of a pair of plates 10 and 11,suitably spaced apart and secured together by bolts 12. Supported by theframe is an electromagnet 13. This electromagnet may be of any suitablecharacter, but is shown as extending horizontally betweenthe plates 10and 11 and provided with a pair of pole-pieces 14, extending inwardlyfrom the ends of the magnet, Figs. 2 and 3. The armature 15, which is solocated as to be attracted by the pole-pieces 14 of the magnet 13, isattached to an arm 16, pivoted on a rod 17, from which it is insulatedby a collar, the rod being fixed at its ends to but insulated from theplates 10 and 11. When the armature 1 5 is released by thedeenergization of the ele'c' 'tromagnet, it is retracted by a spring 18,attached at one end to the arm 16 and at the other to a pin 19, fixed toone of the frame-plates, as 11. is shown as depending, has pivoted toits free end a pawl 20, provided near its forward end with a pin 21,carried between a pair of depending ears 22 of the pawl 20, and the pawlby its pin 21 is normallyin engagement with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel23, fixed on an arbor 24. journaled in the side plates, the ears 22extending on opposite sides of the ratchet-wheel to guide the pawl andprevent the same slipping laterally. The pawl is held in engagement withthe ratchetwheel 23 by means of a spring 25, one end of which isattached to a tailpiece 26 of the pawl 20, while the other end isattached to the arm 16. As the magnet 13 is alternately, energized anddenergized the ratchet-wheel 23 will be turned intermittently or step bystep, the movement of the armature 16 at each actuation being suflicientto move the ratchetwheel 23 only one tooth. As the electro- The arm 16,which,

magnet is deenergized the armature 15, and consequently the pawl 20,isretracted' by the spring 18. A dog 27, pivoted, as at 28, between theplates 10 and 11, engages the ratchetwheel 23 to prevent backwardmovement of the latter. Fixed on the arbor 24 is a disk 29, which isshown in the present instance as located on the end of the arbor 24extending beyond the plate 10. This disk is made of non-conductingmaterial, but is provided with a pair of conductors 30 and 31, which arein electrical connection with a conducting-collar 32, insulated from thearbor 24 by asleeve 33, fixed on the arbor, and the conductors extendradially of thedisk, so as to be movable into contact with a brush 34,which is in electrical extension of the line-Wire Z. A second brush orspring contact-point constantly bears against the conducting collar 32,and this brush is connected with the Wire a leading to the anvil a. Thedisks 29 are normally in such position that the brush 34 bears againstthe conductor 30, so as to place the wires c a in electrical connection.This is clearly shown in Fig. 1. It will be obvious, therefore, fromthis arrangement that when the receiver 1' is removed from the hook itthe latter then rising in the usual manner the circuit is complete fromlines Z Z through the telephone set by reason of the closing of thecircuit through the hook and the anvils a a. This enables any subscriberto call up central by simply removing his receiver from the hook wherecentral-energy system is employed or otherwise by merelyoperating hismagneto-generator without other manipulation. In other words, thesubscriber is enabled to call up central as with the ordinary telephonesystems. The conductors of the several disks are spaced differentdistances apart, the conductors 31 being arranged progressively insuccessive order, so that by a predetermined number of impulses from thecentral station the conductor 31 of any station may be moved intoengagement with the brush 34 thereat, it being understood that theseconductors 31 are so spaced from the conductor 30 that at the firstimpulse sent over the line energizing the/ magnets 13 all of the diskswill be moved one tooth of the ratchet-wheels 23 to throw thenon-conducting portion of the disk against the brush 34, so as to cutoif from the lines all stations excepting the one having its receiverremoved from the hook. The object of this will be more fully explainedhereinafter. The spacing of the conductors of station 1, for example, issuch that two impulses or two steps of the ratchet-wheels 23 will movethe conductor 31 at station 1 against the brush 34 of such station,three impulses will carry the conductor 31 of station N o. 2 against itsbrush 34,.while four impulses will move the conductor of station No. 3against the brush 34 of such station, and so on, depending on the numberof stations on the line.

- bear against the stationary shaft 43.

Means are provided at the central station for energizing theelectromagnets 13, and such means may be of any character capable ofattaining the desired end. Each impulse sent over the line energizes themagnets at the several substations on the line, and the armatures 15 areattracted, and through the medium of the pawls 20 the ratchet-wheels aremoved one step or the distance of one tooth. A second impulse has thelike efiect, and as the dials have their conducting-strips spaced in themanner described the operator at central can at will send a suitablenumber of impulses to connect in any desired station for signaling.

Any suitable connections may be provided for energizing the magnets 13.In the present embodiment of the invention connection is made at eachstation by a wire 36 from the line-wire Z to the winding of theelectromagnet, and a wire 37 leads from the latter to the telephone-hookk, which is normally, or when down, in contact with an anvil 38,connected with ground by wire 39. The grounded circuit is completed atcentral station by a con nection 40, leading through a battery B to aplug 41, adapted to be inserted in the jack 1) on the switchboards atwhich the line l terminates. 1f the plug 41 be touched to the terminalof the wire Z, an impulse from the battery B will be sent over such lineand the magnet 13 at each station energized, actuating the dial 29 inthe manner heretofore described.

Preferably instead of using a switch or of simply touching the plug 41to the terminal of the wire I to open and close the circuit to actuatethe magnet we employ the device shown in Fig. 1 and on a larger scale inFig. 7. This device consists of a ratchet-wheel 42, journaled on aninsulated shaft 43, with which a connection 44, leading to the plug, isin electrical extension. Fixed to the ratchet-wheel 42 is a disk 45,made of non-conducting material, but provided with a series ofequallyspaced radiating conducting-strips 46, which Pivoted on the shaft43, but insulated therefrom, is a pointer 47, to which is pivoted a pawl48, held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchetwheel by a spring49. Aconnection 50, leading from the battery B, terminates at aspringcontact or brush 51, which bears against the periphery of thedisk, so as to complete the circuit from the battery to the plug 41 asthe conducting-strips 46 move past the springcontact 51. Normally thebrush 51 bears against the non-conducting disk 45 between adjacentstrips 46, as shown in Fig. 7. The parts are preferably so arranged thatthe ratchet-wheel 42 is not turned as the pointer is moved away from itsnormal position, but on the return movement of the pointer,a spring 52being provided to return the pointer when provided with charactersrunning progressively from O to a number corresponding to the number ofstations on the line and spaced apart to correspond with the spacing ofthe conducting-strips 46, is provided to enable the operator to send anynumber of impulses over the line by simply moving the pointer to thenumber on the plate corresponding to the desired number of impulses.

Associated with each selective instrument are means for restoring thesame, and such means are so arranged and controlled that all theinstruments on the line are restored simultaneously by the operator atthe central station. To this end there is mounted and secured betweenthe plates 10 and 11 of each instrument a pair of vertically-disposedsolenoids 54, each of which is provided with an armature 55, sucharmatures being connected at their free ends'by a cross-piece 56, sothat the armatures and the cross-piece form a yoke. Extending throughthe yoke is the dog 27, which engages the ratchet-wheel 23. One end ofthe winding of the solenoids is connected to the insulated rod 17,whilethe other end leads to the wire 36, extending from the line Z to themagnet 13. An anvil 57, electrically connected to the wire 37. leadingfrom the winding to the armature 13, is so disposed as to make contactwith a conducting-strip 57, carried by but insulated from the arm 16 andhaving a brush or contact 58 bearing against the rod 17 when thearmature 15 is attracted by its magnet 13, thereby completing a localcircuit in which the solenoids 54 are included. Coiled about the arbor24 of each instrument is a spring 58, one end of which is attached tosuch arb'or, while the other end is anchored to the plate 10, as at 59.As the arbor is turned upon the energization of the armature 13 thespring 58 is wound up, so as to return the arbor, and consequently thedisk 29, to its original position when the dog 27 is disengaged from theratchet, a stop 60 on the plate 11 engaging a projection 61 on the arborto arrest the arbor at the proper point at its normal or originalposition.

Extendingdownwardly from the cross-piece 56, connecting the armature ofthe solenoids 54, is a rod 62, to which is fixed a piston 63 of I 5 adash-pot 64, the function of which is to retard the movement of thearmatures under ordinary eireumstan cesthat is to say, when the circuitthrough the magnet 13 is momentarily closed to advance the disk 29 stepby step. 120 Vhen, however, it is desired to reset the instruments, theoperator closes the circuit for a longer period, thereby holding thearmatures 15 attracted to the magnets 13. This by reason of the closingof the local circuit in 5 which the solenoids 54 are included permitssufficient current from the line to pass through the solenoids toenergize the same,

it is released, the latter being arrested by a so that the armatures 55are sucked up stop 50 at its initial position. A plate 54, against theresistance ot the dash-pot, caus- 3 'thereof the angular ends areprovided with vertical slots 68, through which the securingbolts 69pass. The yoke is normally so located with reference to the dog 27 thatit is not moved into engagement with the dog 27 when the local circuitis momentarily closed up on the attraction of the armature 15 by themagnet 13 in the operation of the step-by-step mechanism, but requiresthat the local circuit be closed for a longer period when the piston ofthe dash-pot is drawn up to the relief-ports of the dash-pot and enablesthe armatures of the solenoid to move far enough to carry thecross-piece into engagement with the dog 27 to effect the disengagementof the'latter.

The operation of the various parts described is as follows: Assuming allthe receivers to be on their hooks, central is signaled by a callingparty removing his receiver from its hook in the usual manner. Thispermits the current supplied from any suitable source (not shown)employed with the circuit to operate the usual signal at central tonotify the operator of the party calling. The operator then inserts theplug 41 in the jack 2), making contact with the line Z. The pointer 47is then moved to 1 on the indicating-plate 54 and released. As thepointer is returned by the spring 52 the ratchet-wheel is turned onestep, and as the disk 45 is fixed to the ratchet-wheel one of theconducting-strips 46 is moved across the brush 51. Current then flowsfrom the battery B to the magnet 13 at each station, through such magnetto line 37, and to ground by way of the hook it and line 39, the otherpole ofthe battery also being connected with ground. The magnets 13 arethereby energized, attracting-the armatures 15 thereof, which throughthe medium of the pawls 20 and ratchet-wheels 23 move the disks 29 onestep and throw all of the conductors 30 away from the brushes 34,excepting at the station from which the call emanated. At this latterstation the mechanism is not affected, owing to the opening of theground-circuit at the anvil 38. The impulse-plug 41 is then withdrawnand the plug of the usual cord-circuit inserted in the jack. Theoperator at central having ascertained the number of party to be called,if it is a subscriber on another line simply connects up the callingsubscriber with the party called in the usual manner. Inasmuch as thecircuit at all the stations on the party-line has the connection withthe linebroken at the brushes 34, it

will be obvious that the subscribers at such stations cannot listen inor call up central until the instruments are restored. If, however,

the called subscriber is a subscriber on the same line as the callingparty, it is necessary to throw the former onto the line. Let it beassumed that in the present instance there are three stations on theline, as shown in Fig. 6,

and that the party calling is at station No. 1

and desires to communicate with station No.

3. After throwing all the stations otf the line with the exception ofthe calling party and having ascertained his wants in the mannerpreviously described the cord-circuit plug is withdrawn and the plug41again inserted in the jack and central moves the pointer 47 to 3 on theindicating-plate and releases the same.

Three impulses are thereby thrown over the ground-circuit, energizingthe magnets of stations 2 and 3 intermittently three times. Station No.l is not afliected, because of its receiver being down. The disks atstations Nos.

2 and 3 are turned three steps, the second impulse moving the conductor31 into contact with the brush 34 at station No. 2, while the thirdimpulse destroys the connection at station No.2 and establishes it atstation No.3. The

impulse-plug4l is again removed and the plug of the cord-circuitinserted in the jack and station No. 3 signaled, the ringer at stationNo. 2

not being affected. Stations Nos. 1 and 3-are now enabled tocommunicate, and station No.

2 cannot listen in, for the reason just stated.

When the communicating parties have concluded their conversation, whichis indicated at central by the hanging up of their receivers,the

impulse-plug 41 is again inserted in the jack and a long impulse sentover the line by central.

This may be accomplished by moving the pointer to a position between Oanc 1 on the indicating-plate 54* and holding it there with one of theconducting-strips 46 against the brush 51. By this operation thearmatures 15 are held attracted by the magnets 13 at sta tions 2 and 3,whereby, due to the longer closing of the local circuit thereat, thesolenoids I 54' are energized, so as to move the crosspieces 36 intoengagement with the dogs 27 to disengage the latter and the pawls 20from the ratchet-wheels 23. The springs 58 then return the dials totheir original positions, as heretofore explained.

As the cord-circuit and other apparatus at the central station may be ofthe usual and ordinary character, we have not deemed it necessary toillustrate the same.

It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the detailsdescribed. as they may be variously modified without departing fro thespirit of the invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim is l. The combination witha telephone-lin comprisingthe two limbs of ametallic circuit terminatingat a jack at a central station, substations along the line andconnections from the lines to such substations, each station be-. ingprovided with a disk having a conductor normally inserted in one of theconnections and a second conductor adapted to be inserted in theconnection when the normal conductor is withdrawn, an arbor to which thedisk is fixed, a ratchet-wheel on the arbor, a pawl for moving theratchet-wheel, a magnet whose armature controls the pawl, means at thecentral station to intermittently energize the magnets, a dog holdingthe ratchet against backward movement, a spring tending to return thearbor to its original position, and a magnet whose armature is adaptedto release the dog and pawl from the ratchet-wheel and included in alocal, circuit closed upon the attraction of the armature of the magnetcontrolling the ratchet mechanism.

2. The combination with a telephone-line comprising the two limbs of ametallic circuit terminating at a jack at a central station, substationsalong the line and connections from the lines to such substations, eachstation being provided with a disk having a conductor normally insertedin one of the connections and a second conductor adapted to be insertedin the connection when the normal conductor is withdrawn, an arbor towhich the disk is fixed, a ratchet-wheel on the arbor, a pawl for movingthe ratchet-wheel, a magnet whose armature controls the pawl, means atthe central station to intermittently energize the magnets, a dogholding the ratchet against backward movement, a spring tending toreturn the arbor to its original position, and a solenoid whose armatureis adapted to engage the dog and release the same and its pawl from theratchet-wheel and Which is included in a local circuit closed upon theattraction of the armature of the magnet.

3. The combination with a telephone-line comprising the two limbs of ametallic circuit terminating at a jack at a central station, substationsalong the line provided with telephone sets on normally open circuits,connections between the limbs of the line and the telephone sets, disksprovided with conductors one of which is normally inserted in one 5 ofthe connections at each substation and the other of which is adapted tobe inserted in such connection in lieu of the normal conductor, aratchet-wheel for turning the disk,

a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, a magnet on a normally closedgrounded circuit adapted to be intermittently closed at the centralstation and whose armature is adapted to oper ate the pawl, a dog forholding the ratchet against backward movement, a spring tending toreturn the disk to its normal position,

a pair of solenoids whose armatures provide a yoke through which the dogextends, and a dash-pot to retard the action of the solenoids, the saidsolenoids being included in alocal cir- 5 cuit adapted to be closed uponthe attraction of the armature of the magnet upon the energization ofthe latter, and release the dog and pawl from engagement with theratchetwheel.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatu res each in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK P. OGONOR. FREDERIC MoNElLL.

WVitnesscs to the signature of Frank P. OConor:

EUGENE J. ORoURKn, STUART DUNCAN.

Witnesses to the signature of Frederic Mc- Neill.

ARTHUR B. SnIBoLD, R. K. GUsTAFsoN.

